Shake, Rattle and Roll! Golf Ball Printing

This is a fun activity for little ones as it's messy and noisy too. You could use any sort of balls, but the dimples on the golf balls give an interesting paint effect. They also make a great sound as you shake them in the tube.

Time: 15 minutes
Age: Under 5's
Level: Easy

Materials

3 golf balls

3 containers for paint

Tube with ends (a cylindrical tin or a potato chip tube is ideal)

Paper

Paint

Method

Squirt a different colour of paint into each container

Add a golf ball to each container of paint and roll around until it's covered in paint

Roll a piece of paper into a cylinder shape and put into your tube

Add the painty golf balls to the paper-lined tube

Close the tube. Then shake, rattle and roll!

Carefully remove the paper to reveal your golf ball print

Try again seeing what different patterns you can make by shaking just a little or a lot. You can also try adding different amounts of paint.

Once your pictures have dried, try cutting out a shape and sticking onto a blank card to make an interesting homemade greeting card

We drew round a cookie cutter to get an easy moose outline

Moose greeting card

Easiest of all: just cut a rectangle and mount on a blank card to make a stylish greeting card